Derby confirm new owners

Derby have confirmed the US-based General Sports and Entertainment (GSE) group as the new owners of the club.

PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: 08:16, Mon, Jan 28, 2008

Adam Pearson

The Rams announced on Friday that they have been successfully taken over by American investors, but their identity was not expected to be revealed until a press conference scheduled for 2pm on Monday.

GSE chairman Andy Appleby, who established the group in 1998, told www.dcfc.co.uk: "We are excited about the opportunity to make a significant impact at Derby County with our collective sports industry knowledge of best practices in management, sales and marketing."

He added: "We have visited Derby County over the last six months and experienced a match day at Pride Park Stadium, where we were impressed with the incredible potential of the club and the loyalty of the fan base."

Appleby will join chairman Adam Pearson - who is to retain his position - on the club's board, along with Tom Glick, who is to be brought in as a new president and chief executive.

Glick is a former chief marketing officer for the New Jersey Nets basketball team, and another GSE affiliate, Tim Hinchey, will move to Pride Park as an executive vice president.

Speaking in the matchday programme on Saturday, Pearson said: "This is a significant day in the history of this club and the takeover adds new financial firepower, underpinning a long-term plan to establish Derby County as a major player in the Premier League and as an international club brand.

"The long-term aim is to establish the Derby County brand worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the USA, Far East and other continents.

"The immediate aim though is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club at Pride Park and obviously develop a squad which over the coming seasons is renowned as a Premier League force.

"The turnaround in the fortunes of Aston Villa, with their American investment in squad and club infrastructure, is a key model we would like to emulate over the coming seasons."